Bryce Canyon, Utah

Bryce Canyon stands out to me because it is unlike any other National Park. I was here almost 40 years ago, and I was very excited to be seeing it again. We usually like to stay in the National Park campgrounds when possible, even though they don't always have hook-ups for our RV. This time, we chose to get full hook-ups at Ruby's Inn RV Park just outside the park entrance. It was the second week of October and the nighttime temperatures were predicted to drop into the teens, so we needed to be able to run our heater. We didn't want anything to freeze, including us! Definitely a good decision!


On our first day visiting the park, we walked along the rim trail looking down into the canyon.
Most canyons are formed by rivers, but there is no river running through Bryce Canyon. Instead, the limestone rock formations here are formed mostly by weathering and erosion.

Canyon at Sunset

The next day we hiked into the canyon. We chose a combination of the Navajo and the Peek-a-Boo trails for a total of 4.9 miles of ups and downs through the canyon. From below, you have a completely different perspective. It was beautiful.

Start of the Navajo trail. Hoodoo Thor's Hammer on right of scene.

Lee on the trail

    

Scene from the trail

This narrow canyon wall of rock below is called a fin. Frost-wedging (water from snow and ice melt seeping into cracks) eventually enlarges cracks and forms windows. As the windows grow, the tops will collapse leaving a column. Rain will then shape these limestone pillars into hoodoos.

Notice the trail winding through the bottom of the scene

The sun peaking out along the trail

Some people chose another way to explore.

The photo on the right shows the switchbacks that the horses in the photo above were climbing. We followed them up this trail. I was very happy to have my feet firmly planted on the ground!

A few more scenes from the trail because I'm having trouble whittling them down!

At the end of the trail you have to climb back out of the canyon via "Wall Street." Forty years ago, I climbed these switchbacks carrying a 3-year-old on my hip. I think I'd have a little trouble doing that this time!

On our last evening, we watched as the sun was setting on the canyon.

This beautiful park will be hard to top, but we'll be back on the road to keep searching!